With this method I queued thousands of fics for download in just minutes. (also works for FF.net) [Note: fics will be saved in HTML format. kind of ugly but all text, formatting, and pictures are saved to your hard drive!]
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!!Important!! If you save your download list to a file it does NOT save the titles of the fic/filename so when you load the list back up you’re kind of screwed. Just found that out. Sucks. don’t clear the download list if you don’t want to start over :’)
Kisuke’s love is possessive, near-suffocating, and admittedly yandere-adjacent. Ichigo handles it pretty well, much to Yoruichi's surprise.
(She should have known better.)
AO3
___
Really, Yoruichi should have seen it coming, but hindsight is 20/20 and she hasn’t heard anything about this in the grapevine either. So when she walks past the kitchen of the Shoten to rejoin the partying group in the living room, she actually does a double-take at her peripherals.
The hallway she’s standing in is dark, but the kitchen light is bright enough it makes her squint to see clearly.
Between the slivers of the doors to the kitchen, she sees Ichigo looking very comfortable in Kisuke’s arms, and since when was that a development? There was no way of misinterpreting how Kisuke’s hands trail alongside Ichigo’s back or how the teen practically melts into the blonde’s touch. It’s an admittedly weird sight, and maybe the strangeness of it might be why she missed it coming half a mile away.
(mind the line break)
A part of her twinges sadly for Orihime who’s been pining for the young man for ages. But she shakes that feeling away as her ears key into their quiet conversation.
“You know, I was thinking of going to Tokyo Uni,” Ichigo rumbles into Kisuke’s shoulder.
“For… An English Literature degree?”
The quiet but bemused incredulity in Kisuke’s voice is apparent, and the ease in it isn’t something she’s heard in a long time. Ichigo bumps his forehead into the crook of Kisuke’s shoulder, and the teen’s head shakes alongside Kisuke’s chuckle. It’s still strange to see, but Yoruichi can’t get over just how natural they slot together. She can’t recall any time she’s ever seen either of them be that at ease with anyone before.
“You know,” the shopkeeper demures into Ichigo’s hair, “It’s close to Karakura Town, but it’ll still be quite the commute. I assume you’re moving out of the clinic when you graduate?”
There’s a pause between them but it’s not awkward as Ichigo hums, clearly taking some time to collect his thoughts. She remembers seeing the young man take a few sips of alcohol, despite not even being of drinking age, and maybe that explains the way his voice slurs a bit as he talks.
“Yeah,” Ichigo sighs, “Was gonna move out anyways, let one of the girls have my room so they can finally have their own space.”
No less than a second later Ichigo seems to realize something. He tilts his head toward Kisuke, and though Yoruichi can’t see his expression from this angle, she can imagine how shit-eating it must be for Kisuke to grab Ichigo’s head and pull it back into the blonde’s shoulder.
Ichigo’s frame shakes with laughter, and she catches Kisuke’s ears turning a shade darker. How cute.
“What, you think you’re not gonna see me anymore because I’ll be moving away?”
Kisuke pets Ichigo’s hair, and his eyes are closed. Kisuke’s head is suspiciously absent of his usual garish hat.
“Well, I’ll certainly be missing you more than usual.”
Ichigo is taken aback by the shopkeeper’s rare showing of honesty, one that leans uncomfortably close to being emotional, but the younger man takes it in stride with a chaste kiss on Kisuke’s cheek.
“You know I can just open a Garganta and visit you whenever right? Honestly, I might just swing by more than I do now.”
Another pause between them, except Kisuke is the one to break it this time.
“... If that’s the case…” Kisuke murmurs, “Then would you consider moving in with me at the Shoten?”
Ichigo stills, but Kisuke continues. Curiously, Kisuke doesn’t say us but rather me .
“You can get to campus through a Garganta, and you practically live here already. You don't have to pay rent, either. It wouldn’t be so bad, would it?”
And it’s something that the residents of the Shoten have all noticed, but chosen not to say anything about. No one mentions the room already dedicated to the teen or how it has more personality than the one in his actual house. There’s not even a peep nor whisper about how most of Ichigo’s clothes are already at the Shoten, or how he eats and sleeps there more often than not. She had chalked it up to Ichigo’s continued mentorship with Kisuke, or even how Isshin’s god-awful parenting had finally begun taking its toll on the Substitute Shinigami.
She had it all wrong, apparently, and it’s hard to push past her pride to admit that.
Struck with sharp clarity at Kisuke’s sudden proposition, Yoruichi realizes this isn’t the type of conversation she should be eavesdropping on. She had no qualms about such things, shameless as she is, but given that this was one of her oldest friends in a moment of unbelievable vulnerability?
Well, she wasn’t that tactless.
Quickly, she exits the dark corridor and back into the noisy lounge of the living room to where the New Year’s countdown has finally started. But not before she heard the quiet murmurs of Ichigo’s reply.
She doesn’t have to guess what Ichigo had to say about Kisuke’s proposal if the blonde’s warm laughter is anything to go by.
___
Promptly after Ichigo graduates, the young man packs his bags and moves straight into the Shoten. There’s not much of a hustle and bustle made about it, or so Ururu has said, though there were some choice words and complaints made by the Kurosaki patriarch. Ururu said that Ichigo’s sisters promised to visit often, which Yoruichi takes as a silent warning to check who’s at the Shoten before appearing nude.
But Yoruichi wasn’t there when the orange-haired teen moved in as she was busy prancing about in Soul Society. Mostly to help with the reconstruction after the Quincy War, but also to visit her little protege once more.
There’s a rustling about and some whispers among the Onmitsukido, but that’s par the course for them. So when Soi Fon makes no mention of it, neither does Yoruichi, and she’s content to tease her student once more like the good ole days.
When she comes back to the Shoten with not much worthwhile news on her back, she’s pleasantly surprised to find the person manning the storefront to be Ichigo instead of Kisuke. She spreads her reiatsu and curls it against Kisuke’s own who happily returns the greeting. She’d do the same for Ichigo, but knowing how piss poor he was at sensing reiatsu, she knows better than to waste her time.
She knows Ichigo’s semi-aware of a new presence in the store by the way his ears twitch, but he doesn’t make any move to scan the front of the store.
He’s still chatting away with Kisuke, who’s hidden somewhere in the back of the store, and they’re discussing Kisuke’s tailoring skills, but again, mundane.
“Yo, Ichi-bo!”
Ichigo doesn’t startle, which kind of rankles Yoruichi’s fur, but his eyes do warm considerably when he sees her slink through the door.
“Hey, Yoruichi-san. How’s Soul Society?”
Are any old enemies of Soul Society rearing their heads this time? She can almost hear him saying that word for word.
“Eh, same-old, same-old. Reconstruction’s getting better, but it’s still slow with the lack of manpower we have. On the flip side, I’m pretty sure Old Man Yama’s planning something big soon. He might just ask if you wanna become Squad Captain,” she teases.
Of course, right after Captain Commander Yamamoto had fully healed of his near-fatal injuries during the Quincy War, the old coot’s still spry enough to jump back into paperwork even after that.
Ichigo scrunches his nose, not exactly amused at the prospect of becoming a captain, and she wonders how many Shinigamis would kill to be in his position right now. Funnily enough, the mention of Soul Society possibly stealing the young man for themselves gets Kisuke to come out of his little hiding spot behind the doors, and he saddles up beside Ichigo quite comfortably.
Ichigo isn’t bothered by it whatsoever and even subconsciously leans into the older man’s warmth.
“Mah, Ichigo, already gunning for Captaincy hm? You haven’t even been to the Academy yet.”
Kisuke slides an arm up and around Ichigo, who only turns his head to scowl at the blonde at his words.
“I think if I went to the Academy,” Ichigo responds gamely, “I’ll be kicked out the same day.”
As Ichigo continues on, seemingly fired up by even the mention of having to deal with Soul Society’s shenanigans, Kisuke silently meets Yoruichi’s eyes. There’s a challenge in his gaze that she recognizes immediately, and Yoruichi subtly puffs her chest at him.
Is this what you really want, she asks.
Yes , his eyes solemnly declare, as if his life depended on it.
I see.
And there’s nothing more to it as they both zone back into Ichigo complaining about the bureaucracy of Soul Society, and how he still has a life here in the human world. She joins in their banter, agreeing that the spirit world wouldn’t be the same once Ichigo joins them, but occasionally her eyes wander to where Kisuke’s hands obsessively swirl circles into Ichigo’s waist.
The teen only continues in his rant and doesn’t recognize anything weird is happening, but Yoruichi’s intimately familiar with that half-lidded and near manic-glaze in Kisuke’s eyes as he stares besottedly at Ichigo. And if she really squints her eyes, she can see the bright beginnings of something tethering them together, and when she sees it, something within her settles.
Ah, she realizes, Kisuke really is serious about Ichigo .
___
She doesn’t consider herself a worrier, but when it comes to the blossoming relationship between Kisuke and Ichigo, well.
She spends a bit more time simply watching over them than she’d care to admit. And what she sees is concerning, to say the least, though she’d sooner go bald than admit that out loud.
Kisuke isn’t one to draw unnecessary attention to himself, so no one else has noticed the signs but her and maybe Tessai. Which is a good thing, because it means Kisuke's keeping his temper to himself. There are rules and boundaries he’s recognized and is willing to work with, even if they’re for Ichigo’s sake than anyone else's.
But it’s a bad thing because as time passes, it’s become more obvious that his patience is wearing thinner and thinner each day. And not with Ichigo, no, the older man will bend over backward just to keep the Substitute Shinigami happy.
But it’s the people around him that are testing Kisuke.
Orihime is the first threat, and Yoruichi’s afraid she’ll stay on Kisuke’s shitlist for a long, long time. Even if Orihime stops mooning over Ichigo, knowing that Ichigo was so close to being taken from him sets the blonde on edge every time she comes over to visit. Kisuke's placated by the silent reassurance that Ichigo is loyal (and in love) to a fault, but sometimes it’s barely enough to stop the blonde from throttling the young woman because she was making one too many moon eyes at Ichigo.
Thankfully, they’re all aware Orihime will never gather the courage to confess, and Ichigo will never bring it up as long as she doesn’t. They’ll continue to remain friends, even if they’re less close than they used to be, and that’s enough to keep the shopkeeper at bay.
And then there’s Grimmjow, who’s somehow made it a habit with Ichigo to spar every week like absolute maniacs. Yoruichi doesn’t fully understand the bond those two have, but she can see how it’s easily mistaken for an insane Olympics form of flirting; hell, maybe that’s just how Hollows did it. One long and drawn-out spar with Kisuke though, in the depths of his underground training room has Grimmjow… changing his approach to Ichigo differently from then on.
She’s not sure what Kisuke could have said to the Arrancar, but he’s less handsy and up-close-and-personal when he confronts the teen. Not that Ichigo's noticed, of course, because Grimmjow still threatens to disembowel the Substitute Shinigami at every chance he gets, and almost makes good on his promise every week. But Kisuke’s less oppressive about it, and Yoruichi takes it as a win in her books.
Shinji, Rukia, and surprisingly enough Byakuya are the next threats to Kisuke, but their years have taught them to recognize signs of a beginning soul bond; the tether between Kisuke and Ichigo is as bright as day and hard to mistake. When they realize it, they’re just as taken aback as Yoruichi was when she found out. But they all take it in stride though, and Ichigo is none the wiser to their newfound resolve to keep their friendships as is.
There are others that come and go, some human, some shinigami, and some hollow, but none of them ever keep Ichigo’s attention for longer than what’s appropriate. It also helps that, eventually, Ichigo finally made it clear that they were an item when he pulled the blonde into a quick, but heated kiss during a Shinigami-related event so everyone could see. It doesn’t stop some of the more stubborn challengers, but none of it matters when Ichigo comes back to Kisuke at the end of the day.
Like a sun revolving around a black hole, she supposes.
And though the ex-Captian is somewhat reassured by Ichigo’s steadfast desire to stay by his side, one that only grows stronger with every passing moment, she can see that something is eating away at the blonde.
Ichigo is as dense as he is powerful, but he’s not stupid , so it’s no surprise when the young man pulls Kisuke to the side to talk , and not in a sexy way.
Jinta and Ururu are playing in the yard in front of the Shoten, and while Tessai is away tending to the Kido Corps in Soul Society, she’s taken the time to spend it in the human world a bit longer in agreeance to the pact she made once with Tessai to never leave a certain shopkeeper unattended . Regardless if Ichigo is present because God knows Ichigo is as much of a troublemaker as Kisuke is.
She’s in her feline form, watching the kids from the sunspot she’s lying in, but she can't help but listen in on the private conversation the two are having inside. Not her fault if they're doing it so close to the front yard knowing damn well how good her hearing is.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
Ichigo huffs, and Yoruichi’s tail swishes in the wind.
“You’ve been acting weird recently. Weirder than normal.”
“Aw, do you worry about this humble shopkeeper? I’m flattered, but there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Kisuke. You snapped at that new Shinigami patrolling Karakura the other day, don’t think I didn’t notice that.”
All is silent before Kisuke sighs.
“I’m really being honest when I say it’s nothing to worry over.”
“But something is bothering you.”
Another pause.
“Kisuke. Even if you say I don’t have to worry about you, I still do anyway. I love you too much not to .”
And despite the fact that Kisuke’s breathing definitely hitched at the sudden declaration, Ichigo continues on like the heartbreaker he is. Yoruichi’s tail has slowed to a stop and lays flat on the porch in anticipation, and she wishes she had a bowl of popcorn for this novella-worthy drama unfolding in front of her.
Or, well, behind her.
“Just… Something’s clearly on your mind. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Another pause, and this time Yoruichi isn’t sure if Kisuke will rebuff Ichigo once more. It would be entirely in his nature, and she doubts Ichigo would ever hold it against him with his own bleeding heart. But Kisuke surprises her once more as she hears the rustling of clothes in the building behind her.
“I suppose… I've been thinking about something for quite some time now. It's... About what it means for you to have me as yours .”
Leave it to Kisuke to avoid using overly romantic words, yet somehow make it sound like so much more beyond just your typical love. Though she supposes there’s not much typical about either man, considering how much they’ve bled for each other.
“Is this about all the stuff you did before the whole Aizen thing?”
Kisuke chuckles, but there’s little humor in it. Ichigo’s words take her back a little, though she supposes it makes sense; Kisuke’s been taking a more… forthcoming approach to his relationship with Ichigo, so it comes to reason that the younger man would know about Kisuke’s time as Onmitsukido and as a less-than-ethical researcher.
She only hopes it wasn’t the topic for pillow-talk , because talk about a major turn-off.
“No, you already know most of that. This is… something else. Something that might… Change the way you see me. See us.”
Silence follows.
“... Short of wanting my sisters dead, I doubt anything’s gonna change between us.”
Yoruichi snorts, masking it with a very convincing cough.
“You’re the farthest thing from being a saint, but right after I realized that, I knew I still wanted you anyways.”
“You know I’d never harm your sisters, Ichigo.”
“Obviously.”
“...”
Ichigo sighs, and it’s pathetic how love-sick even that sounds.
“Hey, look at me?”
“... Of course.”
More rustling and the wood floor creaks a bit as Yoruichi assumes Ichigo’s stepped into Kisuke’s space.
“I love you. At the end of the day, I’ll still be yours as much as you are mine. Got it?”
Kisuke chuckles weakly.
“Loud and clear.”
“Good. I’ll brew some tea for us to drink while we talk. Just… Remember, the list of things I wouldn’t do for you is small.”
And it’s sweet hearing firsthand just how serious Ichigo is about Kisuke, but there’s something about that last statement that rubs her the wrong way. But Ururu hits an extraordinary home run, and Yoruichi simply tosses that feeling back into the recesses of her mind for another day.
___
Yoruichi has a feeling she knows what it was that Kisuke confessed to Ichigo, but true to the young man’s words, nothing changes between them at all. If anything, they’ve gotten closer as a result, and she feels somehow… Relieved by it.
Partially because Yoruichi can rest assured that people who got too close to Ichigo wouldn't suddenly die a mysterious suicide, but also of how freeing it must have been for Kisuke to truly see how steadfast Ichigo’s love is.
She’s keenly aware of how deeply Kisuke feels for Ichigo. Aside from how obnoxiously forlorn and love-sick he sighs and sulks about when Ichigo’s gone for longer than half a day, anyone who’s known the ex-Captain for even a brief moment can see it clearly. The concessions Kisuke has made for Ichigo, even the boringly mundane day-to-day ones, say more about the blonde’s devotion to his relationship than anything else ever could.
She cannot imagine anyone else Kisuke would sooner sacrifice everything for, not even herself. Perhaps once, a long time ago, but certainly not now.
(Who could ever compete in Kisuke’s eyes when all he sees is Ichigo?)
So on the off chance that Ichigo would have been disgusted by what he saw of Kisuke, realized how truly depraved the blonde can be in the name of love?
Well.
Yoruichi knows how to handle a lot of things, but heartbreak isn’t exactly one of them. Especially if Kisuke was gonna be the one with the broken heart, as God knows his walls would come down faster than the Quincies did on Soul Society.
So she’s glad it worked out for them. She’s happy to see Kisuke walking around with lighter shoulders, and Ichigo walking with him side-by-side.
They’re still no less strange of a couple in her eyes, but who is she to talk about love when they make each other smile like that?
They’re good for each other , she decides, even if she thinks Ichigo is slightly unprepared for Kisuke’s bloody brand of love . So she loosens up a bit. Backs off on her quiet hovering, and lets them be as a couple.
Besides, it just means now she can make fun of them for making out in broad daylight. Not that she didn’t before, but seeing Ichigo turn bright red is much more enjoyable now.
___
All’s well and fine, and a few weeks later Yoruichi gets a personal summons from Soi Fon to Soul Society. Not an unusual thing, and she supposes Soi Fon has been getting a little needier lately.
And who’s to say she doesn’t enjoy entertaining her little bee every now and then?
Tessai is still handling matters with the Kido Corps at Kisuke’s encouragement, and Ichigo will be away for a few days for a University-sponsored excursion. Though it effectively goes against her pact with Tessai to not leave him at home alone, Kisuke promises not to blow up the Shoten in the meanwhile. On the day of her departure, she wordlessly nods to the kids to keep Kisuke in line at home.
So when she hops over the Senkaimon, she does so knowing everything will be fine as usual in the World of the Living.
___
“Promise me you’ll call?” Ichigo asks with his hands propped on his hips. Kisuke chuffs, and presses a chaste kiss on the other man’s cheek. Admiring how Ichigo’s face flushes a pretty pink, the shopkeeper nods.
“Yes, yes, every night and morning at 9, sharp. You realize I have nothing better to do when you’re away and the world’s not ending, right?”
And there it was, that smile that was equal parts beautiful as it was bashful. Had Kisuke’s eyes still been damaged from Askin’s assault, he’d be sure that Ichigo’s smile would be a sight for literal sore eyes.
“Yeah, sure, keep telling yourself that. I know you have a bunch of tests to run through when I’m finally gone.”
Ichigo retorts, but that happy gleam in his eyes makes it obvious the college student was harping on Kisuke just to get a rise out of him. And a rise, it gets.
“Mah, Ichigo-ku~un, do you see me so cruel as to wait for your departure to secretly have fun? I’ll have you know I mourn your absence every waking second, even when I am ‘running a bunch of tests’!”
Kisuke bemoans in an exaggerated voice, and the amused huff from Ichigo was a wonderful reward for the blonde’s efforts.
“Dork,” Ichigo grins, and he knew deep within his soul there was not a single thing he wouldn’t give to keep that sight all to himself.
___
She's not even two days into her little trip to Soul Society before Yoruichi gets a random text from Ichigo. Though they’re close, Ichigo’s not the type to text her for no good reason. If he wanted to chat, he’d simply call or visit without prior notice, so this is the first red flag that raised its mast in her head.
His message simply reads: Can u call kisuke ?
She resists the urge to jokingly huff and puff about not even getting a hello, how was your day? Straight to the business Ichigo ever is, she supposes. Yoruichi has to go into another room, outside of Soi Fon’s sight, to call Kisuke. She’s not one to care about that kind of thing, but something in her gut told her to call Kisuke somewhere else .
And for good reason. One phone call turns into two and two turns into three. They’re all missed, and only centuries' worth of trust in her friend’s strength and craftiness prevents her from panic-calling Ichigo right then and there.
He’s not picking up, she texted back, and she resists the urge to go back to the Living World to check on the shopkeeper. She calls the shop phone as well, but not even Ururu or Jinta picks up.
She doesn’t get a response back for fifteen minutes, which was strange considering how punctual Ichigo usually is, but the next message only leaves her hair standing on edge.
omw .
___
Ichigo’s reiatsu, more hollow-tinged than it has been in months, immediately blankets everyone the moment he arrives. Through a Garganta, most likely, and ominously near the First Division as well. His reiatsu lays thick on everyone it touches, and there’s a lingering taste of something that stays on its trails. No other reiatsu is accompanying him though, which doesn’t bode well for Yoruichi.
Before she can even comment on Ichigo’s arrival (because only a fool can miss that ), the alarm lights flare to life and fill the 2nd Division halls with an ominous, flashing crimson. Everything is silent, but she can sense the immediate mobilization of Onmitsukido members from every direction, converging onto one pinpoint of Soul Society.
They’re all headed towards the First Division as well, though some are headed towards the direction of Muken, of all places.
Yoruichi stands up, to see what’s going on, but Soi Fon catches her wrist. She turns to look at her protege to ask what she’s doing, but the question dies on Yoruichi’s tongue.
There’s a guilty pleading look in her eyes, and now Yoruichi knows she’s missing something very, very important.
___
Soi Fon, after some insistent prodding, finally spills the truth to her. Soi Fon, through rising hysteria, tells her about the new decree that Central 46 had been preparing for in the past months, and how it now just went into effect. About who it affected, and what the Onmitukido has been tasked to do to deal with said people. Soi Fon might have also been asking for Yoruichi’s forgiveness, that she had no other choice Lady Yoruichi, you must understand- but it doesn’t matter.
Not when Soi Fon’s confession is more than enough to make Yoruichi bolt out of the 2nd Division with a speed that even she , as the Goddess of Lightning, hadn’t been able to achieve until then.
She would be celebrating the time it took for her to get to the 2nd Division to Muken, but she couldn’t think of anything else but the safety of her best friend. And it doesn’t make her feel any better when she feels Ichigo’s reiatsu flicker with anger.
Please, she silently begs as she makes her way into the dark depths of Muken, hang on a little longer, Kisuke.
___
‘After thorough reviewing and investigation, Central 46 has come to the conclusion that the Substitute Shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo, has proven too dangerous and unpredictable to control. He and his allies in the World of the Living have continually breached the delicate boundaries of the three realms, and thus shall be dealt with to restore balance and order.’
___
‘An amnestic agent shall be given to all residents of Karakura Town regardless of their association with the Substitute Shinigami.’
___
‘Travel to and from the World of the Living will now be tightly monitored and restricted on a case-by-case basis.’
___
‘All personnel under the purview of the Gotei 13, and by extension Central 46, shall make no mention of the Substitute Shinigami or his allies.’
___
‘The Substitute Shinigami’s human allies, Yasutora Sado and Inoue Orihime, shall be executed and led back to the 65th District and 78th District respectively to live on as souls.’
___
‘The Substitute Shinigami’s Quincy ally, Ishida Uryu, and his father, Ishida Ryuuken, shall be permanently detained at the 12th Division’s discretion.’
___
‘The Substitute Shinigami’s father, Shiba Isshin, shall be executed and exempt from entering the Reincarnation Cycle.’
___
‘The Substitute Shinigami’s living kin, Kurosaki Karin and Kurosaki Yuzu, shall be executed and led back to the 28th District to live on as souls.’
___
‘The Substitute Shinigami’s benefactor, Urahara Kisuke, shall be sentenced to 18,800 years in Muken with no chance of parole.’
___
‘And the Shinigami Substitute, Kurosaki Ichigo, shall be executed and exempt from entering the Reincarnation Cycle.’
___
Yoruichi’s been to Muken often enough to know that never in a million years will she ever enjoy coming down here. She didn’t enjoy it when she was overseeing it, and she doesn’t enjoy it now as she rushes through the dank cavern.
Really, it’s one of Soul Society's biggest and most shameful sins, one not often discussed nor mentioned, and for good reason. Every one of their mistakes within the past thousand or so years has been sent here indiscriminately, and though some deserve it (she resolutely ignores Aizen’s cell), others even she can admit were hastily sentenced, and cruelly so.
Most of the guards were easy to take out, but some let her slip by on account that they knew it was a losing battle against the ex-Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukido. And though she hates to take down her own soldiers, she knows better than to rely on their previous loyalties to her, and right now, she has to harden her heart as she slices through each and every traitor .
After all, if they really were loyal to her, they would have never listened to that stupid decree.
She manages to find Benihime, which only confirms her fear that Kisuke really is that deep down in Muken.
“Kisuke!” She calls out into the darkness; she resents the way her voice echoes back.
The walls here were all lined with Sekkiseki, a material that can block all Reiryoku from getting in or out, so trying to find Kisuke within Muken through reiatsu is a fool’s mission. Her only hope would be if Kisuke was conscious enough to answer back among all the other loud prisoners here, and only a moment’s notice later she got her answer in a pained, but familiar groan far off in the distance.
Quickly shunpoing to the cell he was in, Yoruichi’s both unsurprised at his state and in stark anger at what’s been done to him. Despite the fact that it’s been no more than a few days since she’s seen him, he looks somehow worse than he did when they fought Askin.
He’s on the floor, chained and restrained like a dog, and it takes some effort on her part to get him out of it. He’s weak, incredibly so, and even at this proximity, she can barely feel Kisuke at all. If it weren’t for the fact he was in front of her, she’d barely realize he was even there.
She doesn’t want to know what they did to him, if only because she knows they don’t have time to hash out the details. Without a second thought, she hauls him up and makes sure to heal him via Kaido at the same time.
“Kisuke, dammit, get up…!”
She has to drag him by the shoulder and out of his cell. He’s less than coherent, but she supposes the fact that he’s even awake is a win. Shoving Benihime in his hands, he blearily clings onto both her and his Zanpakuto with renewed clarity.
“Yoruichi…? Wh’r’s Ich’go…?” He wheezes out.
“He’s here,” she replies, “But he’s angry. Central 46 ordered everyone in the living world to be executed or imprisoned, and I think he knows.”
And they might have succeeded, she thinks, and Kisuke's face twists into something terrible. He weakly coughs and blood splatters on the floor on their way out. She’s moving them at an astounding pace, but not fast enough for her own tastes.
The longer they’re in the grasp of the Gotei, the worse off they’ll be.
“G’t out…”
“What?”
“You have to…” Kisuke pants, and he’s trying his best to not put too much dead weight on her, “Y’gotta get out… Of Soul Society… Ichigo… If the g’rls are dead… He…”
Yoruichi snaps her head to look at Kisuke, and he painfully meets her gaze with his bloodied face. Kisuke’s implications aren’t lost on her, and the realization strikes her lightning-quick; suddenly she’s taken back to what she overheard Ichigo say a while ago.
Short of wanting my sisters dead…
The list of things I wouldn’t do for you is short .
“Son of a bitch,” she quietly hisses.
Still reeling from Soi Fon’s betrayal, she doesn’t know if there’s anyone in her own clan she can trust right now aside from Yuushirou, and she’s confident enough she can trust his judgment on who to take with him. As quick as her feet are moving, she sends a Hell Butterfly to him and Tessai, a missive to basically get the fuck out of town and head to Kuukaku’s , because she once again has committed treason for her best friend, and she’s not sure if even her clan can survive this one.
“Leave me,” Kisuke shutters, “I h’ve to get to Ichigo, before… Before they k’ll ‘im.”
Yoruichi resists the urge to smack him on the head if only because it might just kill him in this state.
“You really think you can help him like this? C’mon, we’re getting outta here if Ichigo’s gonna do what I think he’s gonna do.”
Of course, the few people that Ichigo loves and holds dear above all else, Central 46 went ahead and targeted all three of them.
She supposes it was just their luck that Ichigo’s brand of love might be more akin to that of Kisuke’s than they all realized.
Fuck, an intrusive thought pops into her mind, they really do fit each other.
___
“Did you know?”
Shinji hisses, and it’s only because he knows Lisa still holds some modicum of respect for her old Captain that the Vizard didn’t immediately shred Shunsui. Ukitake, who’s standing off to the side of his partner in crime, can only shake his head.
Just looking at these two bastards makes Shinji’s blood boil, knowing damn well how close they are to that old bastard Yamamoto.
“No,” the 13th’s spineless Captain denies, “I don’t think anyone knew aside from Yamamoto and the 2nd.”
“Figures,” Shinji spits, “That tiny bitch would go through with the dumbest order 46 could’ve ever given.”
“Shinji,” Shunsui admonishes, but the blonde doesn’t let him continue. Not when Shinji’s spitting furious and all he can see is red. How can he, when he was just effectively told that his own student and friend was to be senselessly executed like he was over a century ago?
“Fuckin’ shut it!” Shinji growls, pointing a finger at the two older Captains, “I thought you old bastards would have learned not to do this shit again, but here you are, making an enemy of someone that we all owe our lives to!”
The other Vizards are standing behind him, and it’s clear whose side they were on; it’s always been clear since the moment they stepped onto the battlefield during the Winter War to fight Aizen.
“Have you no shame?!”
His eyes spin over to the other Captains and Lieutenants present, and none of them meet his eyes. Most of them gathered near the gates of the First, though with how many insane barriers there are, it was clear they weren’t gonna be able to enter to demand an explanation for the very questionable decree Central 46 has just announced.
“You’re all really just gonna stand here an’ do nothin’ about it?! After all Ichigo’s done for us?!”
“We can’t go against the Captain Commander,” Hitsugaya defends, but his voice is as weak as his resolve is. Matsumoto doesn’t bother backing up her Captain’s words, as even she’s looking worryingly at the gates of the First.
“So you’d just let Ichigo’s friends and family get killed for no reason?!”
Shinji, having decided that enough was enough, turns around and stalks out from the pathetic display of centuries worth of complacency gathered in one circle. Hot on his heels are all of the other Vizards, and he gives the other Captains one last resentful glare.
“Fucking cowards,” he hisses, “All of you.”
___
On their way out of Muken, somehow, somehow , they’ve managed to run into both Kuchiki’s and Abarai. The only reason why she even stops is because it’s Byakuya that flags her down and without his Zanpakuto no less. Not that he’s any less of a threat without Senbonzakura, but she knows him and his pride, both as a Clan Leader and as a Shinigami.
And she knows whose side he’s on, despite what many would think.
So Yoruichi stops, if only for a brief moment, and the first words he greets her with is: “We didn’t know.”
“I figured,” she responded curtly. Soi Fon had all but implied only Central, the Onmitsukido, and the Captain Commander had known. After all, all orders from Central still had to be signed off by the big boss himself, and wasn’t that damning?
“Ichigo, he stormed in the First, and they’re not letting in anyone else. There were barriers everywhere , and none of us could get in,” Rukia rushes out.
Abarai looks nervously in the direction of the First, and his mouth is set in a grim line.
“His reiatsu… It’s- the only time I’ve ever felt him this angry was when his sister got taken to Hell.”
Yoruichi- and Kisuke- raise an eyebrow at that. Hell?
“Kurosaki’s family,” Byakuya interrupts, “The main Senkaimon has been shut down per Central 46’s order, but the Kuchiki family has our own private one to use. I’ve sent my own men to check on them and his friends as well. I can send you both back as well if needed.”
Yoruichi shakes her head, and Kisuke makes no move to disagree with her notion.
“No, it’s likely too dangerous. If the others are alive, hide them.” Fat chance, she bitterly thinks.
“There’s a safe house we’re headed to now, but...”
She bites her lips, unsure if she should even give them a warning, but Kisuke beats her to the punch.
“Go,” he warns, “Get your clan and squad out, now.”
Rukia opens her mouth to ask why, as the naive part of her wants to believe that Ichigo wouldn’t do anything in retaliation that would warrant that kind of reaction. But Byakuya, ever the sensible one between them, knows better than to continue dilly-dallying around. He promptly grabs Rukia’s arm and hauls her off in one graceful shunpo.
___
“Brother, don’t you think evacuating our entire Clan and your squad is a bit-!”
“Rukia.”
Byakuya cuts her off with a knowing frown, and her jaw clicks shut.
“Whatever notion you have of Kurosaki’s ability to be sensible now, destroy it.”
“Captain!” Renji’s eyebrows raise in surprise at how callous his Captain’s words were, but even as they shunpo back to the 6th, Byakuya doesn’t stop.
“Kurosaki Ichigo has just been threatened by Soul Society to an unprecedented degree, and if they held true to their threats to his friends and kin, I’ve no doubt they’ve effectively turned him into our greatest enemy.”
There’s a faraway look in Byakuya’s eyes, and the grim resignation nearly startles both his sister and Lieutenant. Renji can’t help but think back to when he was sitting in the medbay with Byakuya freshly recovering from his fight with Ichigo, back when Rukia was being unjustly sentenced to death by the very same organization.
“Rukia. Renji. What do you think is the most dangerous threat Soul Society can ever face?”
They both remain silent at that, slowly beginning to realize the tides turning away from Soul Society’s favor.
“The most dangerous threat to Soul Society,” he murmurs, quiet as the wind, “Is a God who has nothing left to lose.”
___
When she finally made it to Kuukaku with Kisuke nearly dead on his feet, Yoruichi was met with her Clan and a considerable number of the Onmitsukido crowd around the building. She was some part relieved to see so many still loyal to the Shihouin, and some part bitter that even that wasn’t enough to prevent the shit-storm that was about to go down.
The Shiba Head stands strong at the gates, and the normally sleazy and relaxed grin on her face is nowhere to be seen.
“Yuushirou wants to send some of his men to check on the Living World,” Kuukaku announces once Yoruichi’s within hearing distance. The Princess sets down Kisuke, who’s escorted away by Tessai to get treatment.
“Through your Senkaimon?”
Every major noble clan had one, really, and it hadn’t mattered if the Shiba’s were no longer a part of the Great Noble Clans. Kuukaku nods, and Yoruichi readily agrees. Byakuya already has his men on it, but it wouldn’t hurt to have extra as backup. She sets off another Hell Butterfly to notify the prideful Clan Head before she receives one of her own.
It’s from Shinji, and the Hell Butterfly is a specially modified one by Kisuke to be used by those he trusted. At the subtle confirmation that yes, of course, Shinji and the Vizards would never stand for this , never before has relief tasted so good, even if it was for a brief moment.
“Yo, catwoman, you better not be dead. And tell me you’ve got Kisuke with ya, ‘cuz Ichigo’s pretty angry right now.”
___
“We’re at Kuukaku’s,” Yoruichi’s voice filters through the Hell Butterfly, and the reply is instantaneous, “Far away from Gotei and hidden.”
She rattles off general instructions to get there, and Shinji nods despite the fact that she can’t see it. Grinding his teeth, Shinji and the others all immediately head off in the direction of the Shiba’s hidden compound.
Really, he has no reason to be so unnerved right now, considering how much of a tizzy every Shinigami is in right now because of the breaking news, but the dark and heavy thing looming over them is making even Sakanade stand to attention.
With a hurried prayer, he sends another Hell Butterfly to Ichigo in hopes that it would even get past the barrier. Or at least, when Ichigo does come out of there (and he refuses to say if ), the Substitute Shinigami will know where he can find the rest of them.
Shuddering as they head further and further away from the Gotei, Ichigo’s reiatsu is really putting them all on edge, and with each passing second, it grows stronger and angrier .
Goddammit old man, he thinks, just had to sign off your own death sentence huh?
___
It takes them less than half an hour for the Vizards to find Kuukaku’s compound, and they’re all out of breath. They relay to everyone there all that they know. Kisuke has long since passed out from his injuries, even as Tessai is continually applying Kaido to his wounds. Hachi has joined him in his efforts.
___
“Do you think,” Kuukaku murmurs, once the Vizards had settled in, “That Ichigo knows?”
No one can respond to her question.
___
They get their answer moments later. An immense wave of power and grief crashes over Soul Society, and it’s more than enough to wake Kisuke up in a frenzied panic.
Though the air only continues to grow thick and heavy, right before even Yoruichi is on the verge of passing out, all of the spiritual pressure boils away into nothing. Left in its wake is only an eerie silence.
___
Ichigo arrives at their doorstep hours later with no other communication with half of his torso and arms singed to hell. Though he’s thoroughly injured, he only scans the area once before asking for Kisuke, and Yoruichi doesn’t hesitate to lead the way. Kisuke is wide awake now, though wrapped up in heavy bandages, and when he zeroes in on the Substitute Shinigami, Kisuke’s expression finally gives way to something other than desolation.
“Ichigo,” Kisuke breathes, voice cracking with relief at the sight of his lover. He scrambles off the bed to reach the younger man, who only drops his swords to meet Kisuke halfway.
It would be heartwarming, but the implications of Ichigo’s arrival loom ominously over them like a ticking time bomb.
___
Ichigo just wanted to make sure Kisuke hadn’t blown up the shop, but what he finds instead is an ambush waiting for him at the Shoten. He takes out the masked assassins as easy as swatting flies and finds Ururu and Jinta hiding away in a nook that he didn’t even know existed. They don’t know what happened, so he quickly sends them through a Garganta to his father’s clinic knowing that Isshin would still protect them despite his less-than-savory relationship with Ichigo.
And promptly after that, he jumps through his own Garganta to Soul Society, and despite all the implications of what he found at the Shoten, he still crossed the realms in the hopes of finding Kisuke safe and sound.
What he gets instead is a slap in the face in the form of Yamamoto standing in front of him with his sword drawn, and barriers holding them both in the walls of the First Division.
___
She’s hovering on the walls as Ichigo and Kisuke reunited, and in her peripherals she sees another Hell Butterfly come in. It has a distinct shine to it, and she recognizes the Kuchiki emblem instantly.
She briefly leaves the room to listen to the message, hoping that Byakuya only had good news about Ichigo’s friends and family over in the World of the Living.
___
She should have known better.
___
“What did you do to Kisuke?” Ichigo demands, and he can’t ignore the signs any longer- not when his journey to the First was eerily absent of any Shinigami within sight and with neither Rukia nor Renji to greet him there.
And how could he even begin to ignore the immediate hostility he was met with by the otherwise collected Captain Commander?
“Urahara Kisuke,” Yamamoto answers, voice booming in the deserted Captain’s meeting room, “Has been sentenced to 18,800 years in Muken by Central 46.”
Ichigo’s blood ran cold, and for a second he almost laughed at how ridiculous it sounded. But he’s pulled back to reality when the silence draws on, and Yamamoto has made no moves to sheathe his sword.
Why, he asks, why do this?
What reason could they possibly have to take Kisuke away from him?
“Central 46 has deemed you a threat, boy.”
Yamamoto raises his sword and releases Ryujin Jakka in all its blazing glory. Ichigo has no choice but to call out for Zangetsu as well, and the swelling anger only rises with every word that comes out of the older man’s mouth.
“And they’ve ordered your immediate execution.”
___
When Yoruichi comes back, with Byakuya’s voice still ringing in her head, she can only watch the couple in front of her. Ichigo is sitting on the bed with Kisuke as they both hold each other, and the blonde only has his head curled into the other man’s chest.
Ichigo only stares blankly at the wall across from him and doesn't bother acknowledging Yoruichi as she slinks back into the room.
“Ichigo, I didn’t know about the order- I didn’t react fast enough when they came-!” The words leave Kisuke’s mouth at a maddening pace, and his body fully shudders as Ichigo only tightens his hold.
“It’s okay, you’re okay,” Ichigo reassures the blond, breathing deeply into Kisuke’s hair, and that familiar near-manic glaze sends chills down Yoruichi’s spine. His fingers obsessively swirl mindless circles into Kisuke’s scalp, and she can’t help but fixate on this eerie feeling of déjà vu .
“I told you, didn’t I?”
Ichigo tenderly kisses Kisuke’s forehead, and not once does he blink.
___
“Kurosaki Ichigo has been made aware of Central 46’s decree,” Byakuya’s voice solemnly declares , “And he’s just killed the Captain Commander and all of Central 46. He has effectively declared war on Soul Society.”
___
“The list of things I wouldn’t do for you is very short."
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